Suspension of Tempane SHS head: Go to court – Obiri Boahen to Mahama

The Deputy General Secretary of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Obiri Boahen has challenged the critics calling for the reinstatement of the headmaster of Tempane Senior High School, who was suspended by the Upper East Regional Directorate of the Ghana Education Service (GES), to seek redress in court.

Mr Dominic Ndebu Amolale was suspended for allowing the National Democratic Congress’ National Organiser aspirant Joshua Akamba access to the school to engage students on government’s flagship Free Senior High School policy last week, which was captured on a viral video.

Speaking in an interview with Accra-based Citi FM on Monday, 8 October 2018 on the matter, Nana Obiri Boahen said the headmaster erred in his actions and called on those displeased with his suspension to seek redress in court.

He stated: “The headmaster has erred, he didn’t do well, he flouted the Ghana Education Service rules or regulations. All those who are saying that they want the reinstatement of the headmaster, they can go to court. It is the headmaster who has been suspended, it is a personal action.”

He continued: “The headmaster himself, as an individual, has been suspended; he can seek redress in court, then [there are] some groups of people sitting somewhere calling for immediate reinstatement of the headmaster...”

The Upper East Regional Director of Education, Augustine G Ayirezang, suspended Mr Dominic Ndegu Amolale shortly after the viral video on social media captured Mr Akamba campaigning among several dozen students of the school.

Subsequently, the regional education directorate wrote to the headmaster demanding a report on why he allowed such a thing to happen on the school’s premises.

The letter said: “It has come to the attention of the Ghana Education Service that on Wednesday, 3 October 2018 your school compound was turned into a political party campaign rally ground without authorisation.

“You are, however, aware that under no circumstances should the premises of any school be made available to any politician for campaign purpose.

“You are, by this letter, requested to submit a full report on this incident to my office for onward submission to the Director-General of Education.

“You are equally directed to hand over the running of the school to the Regional Director of Education pending conclusion of investigations into the incident”.

The letter was copied to the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service, the District Chief Executive of Tempane and the Chairman of the Board of Governors of the school.

The police command in the district also invited Mr Akamba over the matter.

Meanwhile, the Ranking Member of the Education Committee of Parliament, Peter Nortsu-Kotei has said the committee will invite the Upper East Regional Director of the GES to explain why the headmaster was suspended.

He explained: “We are on recess now; fortunately the committee will be meeting next week and we’ll raise this issue at a committee meeting and we’ll ask the Director General or his deputy who has given that instruction, to come and explain to us what offence the headmaster has committed and if he committed any crime or if that merited his dismissal from office. We want to know; so, next week when the committee meets, we’ll raise this issue and invite him.”